Method of washing dishes and the like



May 11, 1965 o. MORI 3,183,120

METHOD OF WASHING DISHES AND THE LIKE Filed sept. 5. 1962 -2 sheets-sheet 1 5g da) @3%.7

O. MORI METHOD 0F WASHING DISHES AND THE LIKE May 11, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1962 United States Patent O 3,183,120 li/ETHD F WASHNG DHSHES AND THE LiKE Orlando Mori, Florence, italy, assigner of one-half to Soc. Toscana Industria Cucine Elettrodomestici S.T.I.C.E.) S.p.Az., Florence, Italy, a corporation of tal Filed Sept. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 221,540 Claims priority, application Italy, Sept. 9, 1961, Patent 655,768; Feb. lll, 1962 3,085/62 2 Claims. (Cl. 134-7) The present invention relates to a method of washing dishes, for use in domestic kitchens, catering establishments and the like for washing cups, saucers, plates, pots, pans, knives, forks and other apparatus and utensils concerned with the preparation, service and consumption of food.

According to a first feature, the present invention provides a method of washing Crockery by projection thereagainst of a washing liquid and solid bodies characterised by a washing stage wherein the solid bodies, which are buoyant so that they oat in the. washing liquid, are propelled upwardly and outwardly with the washing liquid, against the Crockery by rotary mechanical propulsion means, in an active free trajectory which is composed of a series of bounces or partial trajectories intermediate consecutive impacts, and a discharge stage during which the propulsion means is reversed and the mixture of liquid and solid bodies is propelled downwardly, the solid bodies being agitated and washed by the washing liquid, during which time the solid bodies are retained against exhausting movement with the spent washing liquid.

The invention further provides a crockery washing machine comprising a Washing chamber at the bottom of which is disposed/"a mechanical propulsion device in the form of a varied rotor7 characterised by the provision, in the washing chamber, of a plurality of buoyant solid bodies, a grating being provided in the bottom of the washing chamber to permit draining of washing liquid therefrom whilst retaining the solid bodies in the washing chamber.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of a machine for performing the Washing method. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional side elevation of the machine; and

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view, taken on the line ll-II of FIG. 1.

The machine illustrated comprises a supporting structure or casing 41 enclosing a washing chamber or tub 4Z defined by vertical sidewalls merging into a bottom 43. The latter has a substantial central recess or depression defined by a downwardly and inwardly inclined peripheral wall 43a and an approximately conical central disc 43b which has a shallow outward and downward inclination. A discharge mouth 44 is provided in the wall 43a, this mouth having a peripheral lip serving for the connection thereto of a branched connector 45 made of rubber or the like. This connector 45 joins with a waste pipe 46 and connecting into the branch thereof is an upright pipe 49 forming part of a level indicator or an overflow siphon which prevents the Washing chamber 42 from being overflled.

Below the washing chamber 42 is an electric motor Si disposed with its axis vertical, this motor 51 underlying the recess defined by the peripheral wall 43a and the central disc 43h, the motor 51, and being disposed coaxially relative to the recess with its shaft 52 extending vertically upwardly within a tubular sleeve 53 secured to the body of the motor 51 and welded into the central disc 43h. The sleeve 53 protrudes upwardly through the recess and ice terminates above the water level L. A mechanical rotor in the form of a helical propeller 55, preferably made of metal, is secured to the shaft 52, with its axis vertical, and the vanes or blades 55a ofthe propeller 55 are formed on a frusto-conical shell 55b enclosing the tubular sleeve 53 which surrounds the motor shaft 52. Within the shell 551') and integral therewith is an internal sleeve 55e which is connected for rotationV with the shaft 52, being removally secured to the shaft 52 by an axial screw having a knurled knob 57. n

The top of the washing chamber 42 is closed by a hinged lid 60 seating upon a peripheral sealing strip 59 provided around the upper edge of the washing chamber 42 and the casing 41, and uponV raising of the lid 60 access can be had to the interior of the washing chamber 42 for positioning Crockery to be washed on racks 33 above the water level L within the washing chamber 42. Such racks are indicated in FIG. l and also partially in FIG. 2.

The discharge mouth 44 in the bottom of the washing chamber 42 is provided with a grating 63 which serves to retain and prevent passage, through the discharge mouth, of solid bodies or balls (to be described later) which are disposed within the washing chamber 42 and are used in the washing operation. This grating 63 is formed by a plurality of bars or rods secured by their ends in respective holes in the connector 45 and disposed so as to be parallel to each other and to a tangent to the propeller blades 55a.

Disposed in the recess defined by the peripheral wall 43a and central disc 43h is a metal-clad annular electrical heating element 82, this being located below the Water level L and supported by a fitting 8l secured in and passing through the inclined peripheral wall 43a, so as to surround the propeller 55, without obstructing the upward and outward projection of solid bodies by the propeller 55, as-will later be described. Y

In operation, Crockery to be washed is positioned appropriately in the racks within the washing chamber 42 and the lid oil is closed. Washing liquid, which may be water, is supplied to the washing chamber 42 through an appropriate valve (not shown) until it reaches the level L indicated in FIG. l, this level being assured by the level indicator or overiiow siphon 49. The heating element 82 is switched on.

Solid bodies or balls 34 are permanently disposed within the washing chamber 42.

Once the liquid reaches the level L, the motor 5l is started for a first washing stage. The propeller rotates and accordingly causes upward and outward propulsion of a mixture of the liquid and solid bodies 34, to impact upon the Crockery or earthenware in the racks 33. The propelling of the mixture of solid bodies or balls occurs by reason of the fact that they float in the washing liquid and both they and the liquid are engaged by the blades 55a of the propeller 55. After impinging on the Crockery, the liquid and the solid bodies fall back to the bottom of the washing chamber 42 to be propelled again by the propeller 55.

When the washing stage has been completed, the rotational direction of the motor 5l is reversed. The propeller 55 thereupon rotates in a direction such as to urge the liquid in the washing chamber 42 downwards, thereby favouring and assisting discharge of the Washing liquid through the grating 63 and into the waste pipe 46 which may be controlled by a stop valve or the like (not shown) or which may be connected to a discharge pump (also not shown). The downward ow of the washing liquid, under the influence of the reverse rotation of the propeller blades 55a, promotes agitation and washing of the solid bodies or balls in the bottom of the washing chamber 42, as the washing liquid flows out through the waste pipe 46.

This washing stage, as just described, may be repeated a desired number of times until the crockery is cleaned of dirt, foreign matter or other objectionable substances, detergent being added to the water during any or all of the stages, a rinsing stage is effected using plain water with no detergent. Such rinsing can, if desired, additionally or alternatively be effected by means of rinsing nozzles (not shown) appropriately :directed to rinse the Crockery.

During each cycle, the heating element 82 serves to Warm or heat the washing liquid so that progressively hotter liquid is projected against the crockery as each cycle progresses, the maximum temperature of such liquid being determined by a thermostat (not shown) and/ or by the length of time during each cycle during which the heating element 82 is switched on. The element 82 can, of course, be allowed to remain on throughout all the washing stages and the final rinsing stage, if so desired.

During each washing stage, the solid bodies or balls 34 contained within the washing chamber are repeatedly projected, together with washing liquid in the direction of the Crockery to be washed. Because such bodies will have some measure of elasticity, each one of them, in the course of its trajectory, bounces several times e.g. against the articles of Crockery and/or against the lid 60 and casing 42, so the free trajectory of each ball, after its projection, is composed of a plurality of subtrajectories or multiple bounces separated by impacts with surfaces of the machine and/or the Crockery being washed whereby the bodies are deflected, so that the washing action is extremely effective and assures that all surfaces of the articles being washed are thoroughly cleansed.

The solid bodies or balls 34 must be light, so as to float in the washing liquid and they must, of course, be of such a size that they cannot pass between the bars or rods of the grating 63, the spacing of which will be such as to permit foreign matter from the Crockery being washed to pass into the connector 45. It will be appreciated that the bodies 34 must not be so large or heavy as to provide a danger of breakage of articles washed in the machine. The specific gravity of the bodies or balls is preferably approximately 0.9.

During rotation of the propellor 55, particularly the reverse rotation thereof for discharging the washing liquid at the end of a washing cycle, dirt and foreign matter in the washing liquid is caused to be washed through and gravitate through the solid bodies or balls and pass to the Waste pipe 46. Thus, the solid bodies are washed during the discharge of the washing liquid, and at the same time the bottom and sides of the washing chamber are also washed. In this connection, it is to be noted that the surfaces requiring effective washing (i.e. the interior walls and bottom of the washing chamber, and the surfaces of the solid bodies) are actively washed, whilst those surfaces which cannot be cleaned mechanically (eg. the interior of the connector are cleaned when the washing liquid is drained olf.

The invention is not confined to .the precise details of the foregoing example which has been described to enable the invention to be fully understood, and variations may of course, be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of washing dishes which comprises the steps of: positioning the dishes to be washed above the level of a washing liquid; positioning a plurality of buoyant solid bodies in said liquid; propelling said liquid and sai-d bodies to cause a mixture thereof to be propelled upwardly and outwardly over said dishes with said bodies each travelling through a trajectory which includes a plurality of bounces; subsequently propelling said mixture of said liquid and said bodies downwardly for exhausting the spent washing liquid, said downward propelling step causing agitation and cleansing action of said bodies by the said liquid, said downward propelling step being performed while retaining said bodies against exhausting movement with said liquid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said positioning step is performed utilizing solid bodies the specific gravity of which is substantially 0.9.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,913 3/22 Gray 134--7 1,907,411 5/33 Timoney 15-3 1,919,541 7/33 Davis 15-3 X 1,934,494 11/33 Gillespie 134-7 1,938,302 12/33 Snyder 134-186 2,337,356 12/43 Stoddard 134-186 2,536,843 1/51 Dye.

2,574,149 11/51 Kahn 134-7 X 2,660,744 12/53 Cockrell 15-3 2,775,975 1/57 Andrews 134-186 X 2,825,665 3/58 Stoddard 134-186 X 3,012,262 12/61 Mori 15-3 3,028,267 4/62 Edhofer et al. 95 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,085,060 7/60 Germany.

DONALL H. SYLVESTER, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, MORRIS O. WOLK,

Examiners. 

1. THE METHOD OF WASHING DISHES WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: POSITIONING THE DISHES TOBE WASHED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF A WASHING LIQUID; POSITIONING A PLURALITY OF BUOYANT SOLID BODIES IN SAID LIQUID; PROPELLING SAID LIQUID AND SAID BODIES TO CAUSE A MIXTURE THEREOF TO BE PROPELLED UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY OVER SAID DISHES WITH SAID BODIES EACH TRAVELING THROUGH A TRAJECTORY WHICH INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF BOUNCES; SUBSEQUENTLY PROPELLING SAID MIXTURE OF SAID LIQUID AND SAID BODIES DOWNWARDLY FOR EXHAUSTING THE SPENT WASHING LIQUID, SAID DOWNWARD PROPELLING STEP CAUSING AGITATION AND CLEANSING ACTION OF SAID BODIES BY THE SAID LIQUID, SAID DOWNWARD PROPELLING STEP BEING PERFORMED WHILE RETAINING SAID BODIES AGAINST EXHAUSTING MOVEMENT WITH SAID LIQUID. 